19th - century Iceland, Artists and Odysseys
by Frank Ponzi

Once distant, obscure, enveloped in myth and mystery, Iceland intrigued and attracted many foreign travellers during the last century. Arriving from all parts of Europe, Scandinavia and America, they reached Iceland shores under sail or steam to set off with horse and packed train to pilgrimages to the renowned sites of Geysir, Hekla, Thingvellir, SnŠfellsj÷kull and beyond. Many who arrived had interests in natural-historical explorations; the litirary-minded came to pay tribute to the home of the sagas and its saga-steads. while still others came to observe and record the relatively unknown way of life and customs of its remote inhabitants.

Besides their written observations, these 19th-century voyagers also left a considerable body of visual records executed by amateur and professional artists alike. This pictorial legacy today provides a fascinating portrait of the country and vividly documents the Icelander's 19th century way of life. These dipictions and the individuals responsible for their creation, along with accounts of other notable visitors - such as a diary and a report from two notable visitors - are here for the first time brought together under a single cover. This unprecedented survey of a vanished era not only delights the reader's mind and eye but admirably serves as an important work of historical reference and includes a wealth of previously unpublished material.

As with its forerunner "18th-century Iceland", Art historian Frank Ponzi has created another unique publication which successfully combines historical information with erudition and taste.

Having both English and Icelandic texts, this book (10 x 10Ż in.) contains 159 pages with 140 images.